


Waiting

by KaminariDenki



Series: Warriors Shipping Collection [6]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: 5+1 Things, F/M, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-17 20:55:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15469863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaminariDenki/pseuds/KaminariDenki
Summary: Five times Fireheart loved Greystripe and the one time he accepted that the feelings would never be returned.





	Waiting

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't really 5+1 format but it's my first time writing it and I tried. Also, there might be some wrongly written scenes. I haven't read the first series in forever sooo... Enjoy.

When Fireheart first met Greystripe, when he was a simple kittypet and the other a 'paw, he was amazed at the power behind the other tom's attacks. He had put up quite the fight even though it wasn't actually one. Rusty looked up to the bigger male, ecstatic that he chose _him_ as a friend, a best friend. He had different blood, which clan cats believed it made him weak and lazy and reliant of others.

But not Greypaw.

He complimented him on being fast for a kittypet, showed him around the clan as if he was apart of Thunderclan and not some odd-smelling outsider. He accepted him, hung out with him and defended him when the other apprentices picked on him for having a different scent and home.

Greypaw was kind and funny and strong and handsome and he treated Rusty as an equal, as a fellow warrior.

Rusty admired him for all those amazing qualities. He admired everything about Greypaw. He loved Greypaw.

To bad that the love wasn't reciprocated.

  
**1.**

Fireheart's ears perked, angling towards the sounds of voices. He crept through the forest, his hackles raising when the fishy, salty scent of a Riverclan cat entered his nostrils. What were they doing here?

He drew near, slipping into a bramble bush, peering out through the tendrils and branches.

Greystripe was standing right at the edge of the territory, his fur lying flat and his tail raised. Across from him was the familiar silver striped pelt of the she-cat that had rescued Greystripe when he had fallen in the river. Fireheart's claws clenched against the grass underneath his feet as the dark grey tom leaned forwards and pressed his nose to the other cat's cheek, a faint purring could be heard.

He recalled seeing his friend sneak out late into the night, coming back just before dawn with ferns sticking to his fur and pelt smelling of the forest. Fireheart asked him a few times where he was going, but the tom just brushed his inquiries off and made up a pathetic lie.

And here he was, meeting up with a she-cat— Silverstream, he believed— and breaking the code. Greystripe was always a funny guy, joking and laughing and getting in trouble, but what he was doing was serious and Fireheart had half the mind to report the daily midnight rendezvous to Bluestar.

But as Greystripe and Silverstream bid each other goodbye, the orange tom saw how sad Greystripe looked, staring lovingly and longingly after his lover, yellow eyes shining with affection. He didn't have the heart to break the two up.

  
**2.**

"Greystripe, why do you keep seeing her?" Fireheart demanded, his tail lashing.

"Because I love her! I know it's not allowed, but I can't help it," Greystripe snarled back, lips curling defensively as he stomped his paw on the ground.

Fireheart ignored the sting that ran through his veins, "There are plenty of she-cats in Thunderclan who would love you just as she does."

"But I won't love them, because the only cat I want to be with is Silverstream!"

At that moment, Fireheart knew he had no chance of winning Greystripe over. The stubborn tom was fixated on the pretty grey Riverclan cat. He'd never get a chance to confess despite his heart wanting that _so badly_.

  
**3.**

Greystripe burst suddenly through the bushes, his paws scrambling frantically at the dirt as he snapped at Fireheart, "Fireheart, where's Cinderpelt?"

He blinked in response, tail flicking towards the camp, "in camp, why?"

"Silverstream's kitting and I think there's something wrong!"

Fireheart gasped. Something was wrong...? "I'll get Cinderpelt, you get back to Silverstream. We'll follow your scent." Fireheart ducked his head, butting his friend's shoulder.

The grey tom nodded and bounded off in the direction of the Riverclan.

Fireheart quickly retrieved Cinderpelt and they arrived at the sunning rocks, where a panting Silverstream was lying on the ground, round belly exposed, muscles convulsing and rippling beneath her pelt. She yowled, her claws scoring marks across the smooth stones.

Greystripe stood worriedly over her, his muzzle pressed to her ear, muttering softly.

"Move, move!" Cinderpelt shoved the soon-to-be father away. She placed her paw on the queen's stomach, feeling around. The crippled she hummed and lined herself behind Silverstream. "Just keep pushing, the kit is almost out."

Soon, two kits were born but a heavy amount of blood pooled around the silver she-cat. Cinderpelt, satisfied with the kit's breathing, sat back and shook her head.

"She's not going to make it. She lost too much blood."

Greystripe gritted his teeth and pushed his face into his mate's neck, sobbing loudly into her fur.

Fireheart's chest clenched at the painful sight. He wanted Silverstream to leave Greystripe alone, but not like this.

  
**4.**

"I'm leaving."

Fireheart felt his heart break at those words. How empty and broken they sounded. Greystripe, carrying his son and daughter in his jaws, looked at him with sorrow in his eyes.

"What? Where are you going to go?" He asked, taking a step closer.

Greystripe sighed, the kit's pelts muffling him, "I'm going to raise my kits in Riverclan. They'll learn how to fish and hunt like their mother."

Fireheart wanted to beg and plead the tom to stay. He wanted to scream out his feelings to the grey tabby then and there and drag Greystripe back himself. But instead he nodded and closed his eyes, hoping he didn't sound too forced.

"I understand."

He really didn't.

  
**5.**

Fireheart weaves through the crowd, Cinderpelt limping behind him. He led her towards the four oaks and dipped his head, watching as she seated herself with the other medicine cats. After the she-cat was escorted to her destination, he went searching for a place to sit.

He reached a rather warm spot in the middle, about to sit down, when he caught sight of the cat already sitting there.

The dark grey fur was a dead giveaway, but he found himself locked within a trance thanks to those bright yellow eyes. Greystripe was here and he noticed Fireheart too.

"Dad? What are you looking at?" A small voice asked. A pale apprentice peered from around Greystripe. Behind the cat, a darker head blinked at him. Featherpaw and Stormpaw.

Fireheart was speechless, unable to even cough any words. Legs stiff, he turned and instead sat down in an area far away from Greystripe. He had wanted to speak to him, but he couldn't, his throat tightened and his brain worked on its own, dragging him away from Greystripe.

He cursed himself for avoiding his friend. He cursed himself for letting Greystripe slip from his paws.

  
**+1**

Firestar was waiting. He had waited for awhile.

He spent his days lazing around with Sandstorm tucked under his chin with his belly full and body feeling refreshed.

He was waiting for someone, a grey tabby with bright eyes the colour of the sun and long fur that often got tangled in bushes and collected sticks that had to be pulled out daily. He was waiting for a cat he had loved for quite some time.

Though he was happy with Sandstorm, his heart longed for Greystripe.

And today, he could feel it. Another cat was going to be added to Starclan's ranks and Firestar knew it was going to be him.

Sandstorm glanced up at him, eyes soft. She understood where he was going and curled back up silently.

Firestar stood, his pelt itching with excitement. It had been moons since he last seen Greystripe and his paws were restless. He passes towards the clearing that all cats appeared in when they died and waited in the shadows of a silver oak tree.

Finally. Greystripe was there, jerking awake and glancing around in confusion. The tabby stood up, muzzle painted a pale grey.

Firestar stepped closer, leaves and grass crunching underneath his pads, alerting the grey tom to his approaching.

Greystripe turned and looked at him, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. "Firestar...?" He meowed in disbelief.

"Welcome to Starclan, old friend."

Greystripe's lips curved upwards and he purred, "I thought I'd never see you again."

Firestar chuckled, "I was hoping we wouldn't, but alas, here you are. How has Thunderclan been?"

"It's... Good. Bramblestar has been a great leader and the clan is doing well," Greystripe dipped his head.

"Come with me, let's go somewhere private where we can catch up," The orange tom gestured to the sparkling forest. Greystripe nodded and they trotted side-by-side into the woods.

"I was... sad when you died," Greystripe muttered.

Firestar hummed in response, keeping his gaze ahead.

"Everyone was. You impacted our lives and it was... weird to wake up and see someone else occupying your den."

"I'm glad I made Brambleclaw deputy. But all I did was try to keep peace and protect the clan," Firestar shook his head wistfully. He was like any cat. There was nothing special about him.

Greystripe stopped so Firestar stopped to. "Maybe so, but your death affected the whole clan. I was especially sad, we were friends forever."

"We were, weren't we?" Firestar snorted, "I wonder how Ravenpaw is doing?"

Greystripe laughed, "We're still friends now and I bet Ravenpaw is doing fine, hunting mice and being fat."

Firestar joined in, their hearty bellows echoing through the forest. Though he may have loved this tom many moons ago, he realized that Greystripe had been more interested than others of the opposite sex and just saw him as his best friend. They weren't destined to be together, instead fate took them on different paths with different mates.

Greystripe may never know his past feelings for him, but the past is in the past and Firestar knew that that conversation would just make their friendship awkward. He learned to let go of those feelings awhile ago, instead allowing Sandstorm and two she kits into his life.

And now that Greystripe and him reunited in the afterlife, he wouldn't dare replace his feisty mate, even for his past one-sided love.


End file.
